McCarthy admits he does not have backing of Cork hurlers

[orangeman]

Zulu / Reillers  - will you go the Colman's match ?

[Reillers]

The more I look at it, the more sad it gets. I feel so sorry for these lads. They, though there are some very handy players in there, are going to get slaughtered. Maybe not on Sunday.
But this is our 3/4th string team. If these lads play in the League, they will get destroyed,if they play in the championship I wouldn't put it past being record defeats and that would be against the likes of Limerick and thank God they wont meet KK, (I very much doubt they will) but it would kill them. This will kill them, they will want to retire after a year.

I hope it's not going to be our team for the championship, we will get thrashed in Munster with that team, and tbh, teams like Antrim and Laois would beat that team.
Fair play to the lads who have stepped up. But there are a lot who didn't, in support of the seniors, be it clubmate or not, a lot of players aren't going to play.

Before it was just the CB and the players that were split, now the clubs are split. This is going to do so much damage, beyond the point of no return.

I dont blame the lads who are togging out, I blame the blackards that asked them to do so, whether ye agree or not, if they go ahead on Sunday, every club they represent will be split in 2, and many more besides.
But in all of this, you just look at the board and wonder how the hell can the Ccb do this, and they claim its for the good of Cork Hurling. It's been said that some of the players that were named on the list have not confirmed that they will play. If so publishing the names is despicable, but true to the CB we have all come to loath and hate.
It appears that players were contacted last week but never gave a commitment to go and the next thing they hear is that their name is in the paper as being part of the panel. Cork County Board at its best.
If its true it might wake them up, everyone that is, to how devious the CCB is and make them realise they are being used, lets face it that team would be beaten off the field in any game by any team.

Is this really the price the board are wiling to pay, because come January, we'll feel the bloody price after people withdraw from the GAA lotto, and not going to games.

[Reillers]

The more I look at the game, the more I dread it. In a way it'll be a sad day for Cork GAA. A very sad day.

But first, I 100% agree with the new players who have put themselves forward to play for cork. Fair play to ye lads, wish ye all the best of luck. Its an honour for every young fella in our county to wear the geansai, its what we all dream about.

Irrespective of how I feel about the current situation, I'm going, I said I'd go, but I don't know..A lot of people going on Sunday will be going for the wrong reasons, albeit possibly with good intentions. There'll be points to prove, barricades to be manned, and abuse to be hurled. Each to their own, and other such clichés, but I don't know what to do. Sunday will most definitely be a tragic day for Cork GAA, and no earthly good can come from it. Maybe I'm soft, but it might just break my heart to go.

The other part of me then thinks, f**k it, go, it's time to move on. I said I'd go, more for the college then anything, but a good while ago, before all of this I said I'd go, and I don't back out of things. But part of me does think that it's time that we just move on - we could start a 1000 threads about this but the simple fact of the matter is nothing is going to be done about it unless both sides just suck it up and agree to a "once & for all" meeting to settle the differences - and if this can not be achieved well then its time to move on.

If this panel that has been selected is a "development" panel, we should all watch closely as these will be Cork players of the future - I mean, we knew that the likes of Sean Og, O Connors, McCarthy's etc wont be playing for the next 10 years - its the players who are togging out this weekend who we'll be supporting in the future. So maybe we should go out and support them, give them a chance, and who knows - maybe they might spring a surprise.

No doubt, and I mean no doubt there are players, a lot of players missing, from the likes of The Glen who's U21 team were sensational in the final.
But this team? It actually looks like Gerald Mac got the list of U21s and Minors from the last few years and started making phone calls.

Like I don't blame the lads. How could they turn the opportunity to turn the call from Cork down. Some nonsense is being said about leaving clubmates down but these are the guys who are keeping their club sides ticking over during inter county months. Sadly, it puts these fellas in a very difficult position.

But is there pride in being chosed 81st on the list or 110th, these guys must know they wouldn't have come within a mile of the Cork Senior team if it wasnt for this mess. It's desopicable to make a fool of them like this, whatever the rights or wrongs of the whole thing it is totally wrong to bring 30 young lads into it just to prove a point, I'm really afraid of the reprecussuins this farce will have.
I think whether Croker like it or not they are going to have to get involved. The CCb are quite happy to put out a 4th rate team to represent Cork, but I don't think Croker will be.

It's then that it will also hit true to the coffers of the CB after those who attend next Sunday won't be seen at CI hope the day goes well on Sunday, for St Colmans sake, after they putting so much effort into it. This developmental squad will come back to haunt Cork hurling.I feel sorry for them, I do, surely St Colmans must realised thay are being used by the CCb to prove a point. Im afraid this celebration will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. If they had any sense they would have got some other opposition and let the CCb sort it out without taking advantage of their day.

Some think that Gerald's position will be made stronger by this, he can say look, I can field a team. But, will Ger Mc's position be strong after this Cork squad have been hammered in all their South East league games in January and also by Dublin in the 1st round of the Natioork games in the new year.

The Colman's team is a strong one, a very strong one. Strike or no strike I think we'd struggle against them.

I really feel for the young lads in this, it's not their fault, and no one can or should fault them in taking this chance.

But it's such a sad mess, no winners, just losers and the CB. You want to be remembered for playing for Cork but on the big days out in the summer months, in Thurles and down de Pairc, not on a mucky day in November in what will be a tipping point in the civil war that's raging at the moment.

There are so many accusations going back and forth, both from the CCB and players and the public and media. It's a sad sad day indeed. These wounds may take a long time to heal if they do at all?

"Cork GAA, 1884 - 2008, could the last person to leave please turn off the light...."


There is absolutely no way any player who togs out for this team on Sunday should get anything but a best of luck, however I hope that they realise that the proper medical, gear and logisitcal support they get is due to the efforts of the 30 senior players not involved for Cork on Sunday.

[Silky]

Is the match going ahead at St Colmans so?

[orangeman]

I like you think that today willl be a very sad day for Cork hurling - terribly sad and regretable that a hugely successful era in Cork hurling history has been allowed to degenerate into a farce whereby the senior hurling panel of 2008 have refused to play in an anniversary game to honour and celebrate the collge and it's links with all things hurling in Cork over a very long period of time.

It's sad that the manager has felt it necessary to go and pick a 3/4th string team just to be able to say we put a team out and that we were able to field.

It's sad that attempts at mediation have failed - it's sad that the management and players have adopted very entrenched postions where no one will give an inch and petrol is continually poured on the fire by perceived provocative moves by both sides.

The leaking or feeding of the mdia has happened on both sides.

On reflaction the media should have been kept out if it.


A big part of me wants to see a resolution of the problem where Mc Carthy is allowed to stay on and the players allowed to cme back and hurl away.

Surely Mc Carthy can bring in someone who the players would favour with a view to Mc Carthy stepping aside at the end of the year and the new man being groomed to take over.

The players have given too much to let stubborness on both sides get in the way of them playing for their county.

But so too Mc Carthy - more respect should have been afforded to him all through this process . and let's not forget Teddy Holland who has been a victim here as well.

The county board will stay in place for only as long as club delgates decide - that's what a AGM is for.

So please, both sides - meet up again with the help of mediators, those with cool heads and get back out again next year and put it up to KK.

[Uladh]

Why would anyone who professes to have the good of cork hurling at heart want Gerald McCarthy to continue in his job?
It's universally accepted that he is not up to the required standard as an intercounty coach and his remaining in the job only serves to hinder the development of hurling in the county

[orangeman]

Why would anyone who professes to have the good of cork hurling at heart want Gerald McCarthy to continue in his job?
It's universally accepted that he is not up to the required standard as an intercounty coach and his remaining in the job only serves to hinder the development of hurling in the county

Universally accepted ? Didn't realise that.

[realrebel]

cork beat st colemans 2 8   to 1 10
well done to that cork team
no doubt the people on here who said they would get hammered will come up with a excuse

[Zulu]

I haven't read every post but I don't recall anyone saying they'd get hammered today, IMO today's game was an irrelevence in the greater scheme of things but I suppose we will have to wait and see.

[theskull1]

Had read somewhere someone mentioning that they would get a pasting (only one persons opinion so ..). I think the only irrelevance from today was the scoreline (although I'm sure that it will keep the media on the leash for a while). The fact Cork had players willing to don the jersey has shown that they have every intention and ability to move on. Reillers sneering comments about this being a 3rd/4th string team is a bit sickening but even worse are his comments that he reckons "This will kill them, they will want to retire after a year." Regardless of personell, any Cork man should get behind any man willing to wear the jersey. Come on Reillers get behind your team

[orangeman]

Had read somewhere someone mentioning that they would get a pasting (only one persons opinion so ..). I think the only irrelevance from today was the scoreline (although I'm sure that it will keep the media on the leash for a while). The fact Cork had players willing to don the jersey has shown that they have every intention and ability to move on. Reillers sneering comments about this being a 3rd/4th string team is a bit sickening but even worse are his comments that he reckons "This will kill them, they will want to retire after a year." Regardless of personell, any Cork man should get behind any man willing to wear the jersey. Come on Reillers get behind your team

To be fair to Reillers I think he has decided that it is time to move - he was going to the match today fair play to him -


What did you make of it Reillers ?

[Zulu]

If most of last year's squad continue to boycott the Cork setup, we will only know how things are going to pan out during the national league. If Cork start shipping heavy defeats (as they surely will) then the attitude of many Cork supporters will be sorely tested. Regardless of what you read on DB's or in the newspapers the average Cork GAA supporter is divided on this one and the pressure will start to come on the CB to get the best players back on the field come spring and summer. Many may not wholely support the players but the vast majority see the CB as equally culpable is this farce and they won't get off lightly if important results start going against Cork.

[Uladh]

Well now you know.

could you answer the question ?

[Reillers]

Had read somewhere someone mentioning that they would get a pasting (only one persons opinion so ..). I think the only irrelevance from today was the scoreline (although I'm sure that it will keep the media on the leash for a while). The fact Cork had players willing to don the jersey has shown that they have every intention and ability to move on. Reillers sneering comments about this being a 3rd/4th string team is a bit sickening but even worse are his comments that he reckons "This will kill them, they will want to retire after a year." Regardless of personell, any Cork man should get behind any man willing to wear the jersey. Come on Reillers get behind your team

To be fair to Reillers I think he has decided that it is time to move - he was going to the match today fair play to him -


What did you make of it Reillers ?

It was interesting. In fairness they did well.
But I'm afraid that they'll get murdered in the serious games. Today was just a charity game, but the win will turn out  to be more more of a disaster then a loss. This way Gerald can blow the whole thing up in the media,and spoof on about the future of cork hurling being bright and all that  but in all honesty it was a meaningless challenge/charity game.
I could say that Gerald is being childish and selfish, but I know what response that would get me. He is singlehandedly destroying Cork hurling. He's not good enough as a manager and we all, no matter what side you're on, know that. He's not up to it and he was kept in there with one intention only and that was to get rid of the senior players. But he's being to stuborn to see that.

A lot of people including myself thought they would get beat out the gate. It wasnt a great game, the college were awful, most looked like they hadn't picked up a hurley in months. But I thought there were good displays from Barry Johnson, Conor O Sullivan, Alan Kennedy, Stephen White, Ger O Driscoll, Micheal Collins (at times) and Tadhg Og when moved out of corner forward, some subs came on in the second half and they really helped cork against the wind. The likes of Stephen Corcoran and Mark Collins played well adding to the score board, and Paul Honohan and Wesley o Brien did well also.

But with that said. Some terrible damage has been done today.

Gerald has gone on about a grand plan for Cork hurlings future, he never had one. There is genuine talent in Cork and that's what got us through today. But some looked so out of their depth today, despite the win.

Alywn Kearney definately not up to this level, even charity.. Conor Dorris looked out of his depth too. Paul Honohan doesn't even hold the hurley the right way, ya ye could say so what, but it's a sign of bad coaching. Donal O Grady saw Corcoran was holding the hurley the wrong way, he picked up on it and made him change it. It is the little things that all add up in the end to make the better players. I know he's only been with the squad for a very short time, but you know, it's the little things.

There were a few good kids all right, who threw their hands up tonight and if or when this is sorted they'll be there still which is always good.

"These players are a developmental squad that we have put together, and they'll be put in the gym for the next few weeks" - Gerald Mac on RTE news, after the game.

Its the end of the senior panel.That's the end of the senior panel. This is a disaster of a result. It'd be fairer and less painful on the kids on the pannel to have lost and lost by a lot today then have to put it off.
It's going to be a blood bath come Championship and it's the young fellas that are going to suffer emensly. Sooner or later probably from pressure of loosing the CB might give in. But for now, that's it.

[theskull1]

Proper expectations need to be set if the Cork Management team are not able to pick from a full deck. I know you Cork lads are used to having high expectations and this will bring its own pressure to any hurler representing you but there is no point in focusing any resentment on the boys who are prepared to come forward. Lets hope alot of last years panel in time get to the point where they feel they can work within "the system" and find proper ways to deal with any issues they might have as well as fully commit to incumbent manager and the way he works.